Portable dam



April 1952 B. R. KEARSLEY ET AL 90 PORTABLE DAM Filed Jan. 19, 1950 Benjamin H. Kears/ey Arfhur W Kears/e;

INVEN 0R;

9 BY and Patented Apr. 8, 1 952 I s PORTABLE DAM Benjamin'R. Kearsley, Ogden, Utah, and

Y Arthur W. Kearsley, Victor, Idaho Application January 19, 1950, Serial No. 139,427

/ 1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in portable dams, and the principal object of the invention is to enable farmers to easily and conveniently regulate the flow of water through irrigation ditches.

This object is achieved by the provision of the instant dam which embodies in its construction a frame having a sheet of flexible material mounted thereon.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for attaching the sheet to the frame, while another feature lies in the provision of a slit in the sheet affording a water passage, together with a slide fastener secured to the sheet at the edges of the slit to provide an adjustable closure for the passage, whereby the flow of water through the dam may be conveniently regulated.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its durability, in its convenient and eflicient operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specificaproceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in use; itsFigure 2 is a perspective view of the invention elf;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 33 of Fig-' ure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a portable dam designated generally by the reference character [-0, the same embodying in its construction a frame consisting of a cross bar l2 and a center post M which is disposed at right angles to the cross bar, being adjustably connected thereto in a manner hereinafter to be described.

A substantially triangular sheet of flexible material such as canvas, or the like, 16 is mounted on the frame afforded by the members l2, l4, one apex portion of the sheet I6 being equipped with a ring 18 which is connected to an eye 20 secured to one end portion of the center post I4, while a relatively opposite marginal edge portion of the sheet is provided with a sleeve or hem 22 through which the cross bar l2 extends and from which it projects at both ends, substantially as shown.

Suitable fastening elements such as nails, or the like, 24 may extend through the sleeve 22 into the cross bar to fasten the sleeve in position, and it is to be noted that a substantially U-shaped yoke 26 is secured to the center portion of the cross bar by a transversely extending bolt 28 and is provided with aligned apertures to removably receive a keeper pin 30. To prevent its loss, this keeper pin may be equipped with a flexible element such as a chain 32 which is anchored to the bolt 28 by a nut 34, and it is to be noted that the yoke 26 straddles the center post [4 and that the latter is provided with a row of apertures or openings 36. in which the keeper pin 30 is selectively receivable, whereby adjustability of the connection between the cross bar and the center post is facilitated to suit particular working conditions.

The sheet [6 is provided with a slit 38 to afford a water passage through the dam, and a conventional slide fastener 40 is secured to the sheet at longitudinal edges of the slit 38 so as to afford an adjustable closure for the water passage. The slit 38 may extend horizontally or vertically, as desired, and the slide fastener 40 may be substituted by any other conventional fastening means.

When the invention is placed in use, it is inserted into a ditch as is illustrated in Figure 1, and the center post M is adjusted relative to the cross bar 12 so that the triangular sheet in a downwardly arcuated position provides a positive seal or partition in the ditch, while the flow of water through the passage in the sheet may be regulated by simply adjusting the slide fastener 40. It is to be noted that by virtue of its triangular configuration the invention will readily accommodate ditches of different widths and depths. I

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and, accordingly further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted 3 to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

In a portable dam, the combination of a frame including a cross bar, a yoke secured intermediate the ends of said cross bar, a center post disposed at right angles to the cross bar and connected to said yoke, a substantially, triangular sheet of flexible material having one apex portion thereof anchored to said center Number Name Date post and having a margmal e portlon PP 535,153 wit h Mar. 5 1895 site to said apex portio secured o s d was 643,550 i h Feb. 13' 1900 bar, and a transverse pin removably positioned 1,058,239 Cadwanader 3 1913 in said yoke, said center post bei ep i I5: M 3 5; Small Oct. 3, 1939 a row of apertures and said pin being receivable REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file: of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

